Accu hitch pins

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Vincent Earl Mrykalo" <vem@email.byu.edu>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: August 09, 2002 7:36 PM
Subject: Re: Accu hitch pins


> Question.  If the soundboard has "settled", shouldn't the bearing also be
less
> accordingly?  Rather than keep the same bearing as when the board was new?
At
> least this seems to be what you are saying.
> vince

It depends, I suppose, on what you're after.

Once the piano is built and the soundboard is initially loaded, string
bearing becomes a dynamic thing--it does not remain constant. Over time the
string loading decreases due to the changes continuously taking place within
the soundboard assembly.

Baldwins in general tend to have a somewhat percussive sound with a
relatively short sustain. In part this is because of their relatively light
soundboard loading. One of the advantages of the vertical hitch is that this
loading can be adjusted after the soundboard takes an initial set. The
soundboards in these pianos are crowned using a combination of a lightly
crowned rib and some amount of compression crowning. Yes, increasing the
string bearing will place a greater load on the soundboard and may possibly
shorten its life somewhat, though I doubt by much--those ribs may not have
much crown machined into them, but they are fairly hefty and the soundboard
panels are relatively thick. As may be...the tradeoff will be a piano that
sounds better during whatever time it is in service.

Del